Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-01-08

omon.
The stern face of the young girl soft
ened little, but only for moment.
mol" she answered, angrily, mot
even that. l, you know, am made of
the inferior clay-you of the pure porce-
lain. Do you not remember how even
good, kind Aunt Hester told you there
were no young ladies with her. only the
seamstress. You are slightly bored al
ready, and think me odd enough to amuse
you for while; butif some Of these gay
ladies among whom hear you are such
favorite-were to come here, you would
not even know me. Good evening, sir"
'tWhat a furious little radical"
thought Sol, with an uneasy laugh, as he
watched her retreating figure. After
all, he was not quite sure that she had
not spoken the truth.
Ii tie calico frock had been flounced
silk, for instance, how many degrees
more deferential would have been his
manner in presenting the cherries2
Query the second:
If the calico frock had been walking
3own Broadway about o'clock in tho
a1ternoon, would he, Solomon Griggs, of
Griggs, Makem & Co., as willingly escort
it as across those green fields where, if
the robins and bluebirds did make re-
marks, it was in their own language?
Sol couldn't answer the questions sat
isfactorily, but he went to bed and
dreamed all night of the little Diogcnes
in her calico frock
That week and the next week he
waited patiently for the first glimpse of
that remarkable garment coming around
the corner, but in vain. And when, in
such very careless manner that 1t was
quite remarkable, he wondered audibly
"where that odd little girl lived whom
he saw on the eve of his arrival" Aunt
Hester answered. dryly; "Away up
thereabouts." pointing with her hand.
She boarded, she believed, with some
queer sort of folks there; though, for
that matter, she was queer enough her.
self. And this was absolutely all she
would say on the subject.
The next day Sol took it upon himself
to wander up that way, whereabouts,
and was rewarded with a glimpse of the
calico frock going through a broken
gate; and, following it closely, came up
with the wearer as she was about to
enter the dilapldated front dor, at
which piece of impcrtinencc she was so
much incensed as to turn very red, while
tears actually started to her eyes.
"What do you want" she asked,
sharply enough.
10 see you!" replied Sol, who, taken
by surprise, could think of nothing but
the truth.
"Well, you have seen me now goI"
"But it's warm day, and am very
tired"
Il can't help that. It's not my fault
is it!"
"Ycu might ask me to walk in and sit
down, if you were not as hard hearted as
a Huron"
"This is not my house"
''You would then, if it were2"
Il don't say that"
"Well, then, l am thirsiy-give me a
glass of water"
There is the well, and an iron cup
fastened to it by a chain, help your
self.
"You inhospitable little misan.
thrope!&"
"But she was gone; and the next time
he inquired for her, aunt Hester told
him, with malicious twinkle of the eye,
that she was gone to the city.
Perhaps the good soul had been
troubled with visions of a future Mrs.
Griggs, and was not altogether displeased
that an insurmountable barrier was
placed between ''that odd Rachel Hart
and her nephew Sol, who was a good
boy. but didn't know the ways of
women"
Be that as it may. her Joy was shortly
turned into mourning. for Solomon re-
ceived dispatches requiring his immedi-
ate presence in the city. AT least so he
said, for Aunt Hester was immovable in
her conviction that THAT Rachel was
somehow at the lotion of it." She even
limited as much to Solomon when he bade
her goodbye; but he only laughed, and
told her to take care Of herself
After all, business could not have been
20 very pressing, as he spent the greater
portion of his time wandering through
lanes and back streets, not frequently
dashing down alleys with the inexplica-
bic exclamation of "That's herr" from
whence he always returned very red in
the face and sheepsh in expression.
Three months had passed away, when
Il. -